a kind of magic
by fxkmattyhealy
Summary: Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger are splitting apart after more than 10 years of marriage and of being in love. When Scorpius and Rose learn about their parents getting a divorce, Scorpius wishes for only one thing on his 9th birthday-that their parents can spend the beautiful occasion of Christmas together, even if it was for the last time as a family. [ DRAMIONE SHORT STORY ]
1. i. a disaster at the birthday.

**_16th January, 2015_**

"Why can't we just cut your cake so I can eat it?" The younger Malfoy had protested the moment their parents had gone into a room shutting the door close. She continued to eye the chocolate cake hungrily, her mouth watering.

Scorpius eyed his sister warily, "It's my birthday, I get to eat it first. Stop being a brat, Rosie." he rolled his eyes at the six year old. Her big brown eyes regarded her brother with concern. "But I am younger!" she pouted at him, earning a sigh in repose. It was always this excuse for every single thing that wasn't in her favour.

"Stop using that excuse! You always do that!" he yelled at her. Rose immediately stopped talking, her bottom lip trembled at the harsh voice her brother had just used, a pool of tears had already started to form in her eyes. Scorpius' eyes immediately softened at the sight of his baby sister before him. After carefully setting down the knife he was holding to cut the cake, he padded over to Ross who was crying like the little baby she was. He bent down to meet her at eye level, softly brushing away her tears and sighing before pressing a small kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry Rose." he started, "I shouldn't have said that, you can have the first bite of the cake, too." At that, she immediately looked upto her brother's gray eyes, she had stopped crying by now.

"You mean it?" Her voice was small.

Scorpius smiled, "Yes, I mean it." he hugged his sister, "I'll go get mom and dad so you can have your cake, alright?" He helped to wipe away any remaining tears she had on her cheeks, "I'll be back before you know it."

Rose gave a soft nod, a smile on her pink face.

Scorpius walked off to the room his parents were in. He was about to knock when suddenly he stopped, they were shouting at each other. It was very unusual of them to do that- in all his nine years of life, he had never seen tehy fight even once, not even argue, for the matter. So it was a complete shock when he heard their loud voice from inside.

By now, he had crouched down, his ear pressed to the door of the room his parents were in, he couldn't understand why wouldn't they just come out so he could cut his nineth birthday cake.

"So this is it then?" He heard his father say.

On the other side of the door, Draco wiped his hand down his face, for the first time in forever, he had failed to talk someone into what he wanted, failed to reach a point with someone that was in his favor, to him, he had already failed Salazar himself; who surely was sending him two middle fingers from his god-forsaken grave. Hermione held her ground, her nose high - a universal sign that Draco had grown accustomed to over their ten years of marriage, she was done, so done right now.

"At least answer me, dammit!" He growled in her face. His face was hot and it felt like the tie around his neck was closing up on him. Hermione looked at him straight in the eye, like a predator eyeing her prey. She walked over to him, taking graceful strides in her black stilettos, the clicking sounds made Draco cringe. She stood before her husband, still shorter even after wearing heels. Draco watched his wife fold her arms over her chest.

"Yes." The snap of her mouth was treacherous, almost as if venom was drooling from it.

Draco felt his heart stop at the finality in her voice. He knew that tone, he knew that her decision was final, there was nothing he or anyone else could do to tamper with it. His eyes closed for a brief moment and he rubbed his aching temples with his left hand whilst the right one rested on his waist. It seemed like a fucking storm was forming in his head- crashing around the walls of his skull just to fuck with him.

"You're never around Draco, I'm never around, this family... it doesn't feel like a family anymore." Hermione spoke in a small voice, the corners of her eyes filled with tears. "It's like...it's like we both just want to get away from each other just for the hell of it." she moved further away from her husband, her arms folded on her chest. She gave out an audible sigh, "I know you stay behind extra hours at work, and I don't blame you, I've been doing the same at the ministry. I just-I just don't know why we keep drifting apart. We have arguments almost everyday, I'm just glad Scorpius and Rose don't know about them, he has never seen us fight." She thought of their children, how their decision was going to take a toll on both of them.

"Nearly half the week we sleep with Scorpius and Rose to avoid each other- this can't go on any longer and you know that." Hermione was careful to choose her words, she had expected Draco to lash out on her but instead, he had kept his cool and listened to every single word that had left her mouth, giving it high ponder. It was true, all of it, he couldn't agree more.

Their marriage had been failing for quite some time now; the only thing that kept them both going was the existence of their children. They only strived for their well-being now, rather than for the sake of each other like before.

But now, now both of them had had enough, hence, the prospect of Scorpius' and Rose's life being out of the picture. It was selfish, they'd both admit, but what had to be done, had to be done.

"I get it, you don't need to say anything further. I- I understand." Draco broke the awkward silence, steering ahead of his wife and clasping his hands on the mahogany desk before him.

"Scorp doesn't deserve this, Rosie doesn't deserve this." he agreed, "They both deserve a loving family and even though we both love them dearly, I'm afraid we're anything but a family now."

He made the mistake of looking into Hermione's eyes in that dreaded moment.

And in a flash, all their ten years of marriage; the fateful day they had married and he had cried during the whole ceremony, so much that his best man, Blaise Zabini, had to hold a fucking box of tissues by his side so that Draco could continue to cry happy tears and wipe them simultaneously. He remembered their honeymoon at Paris, the city of love-- he remembered how they made love on the rooftop of their hotel floor reserved completely for them, first time as a couple. He remembered telling her 'I love you' for the first time and how she had reacted; engulfing him in a bonecrushing hug and whispering the sweet words back to him. He remembered how when he found out about Hermione being pregnant with Scorpius, the way he had thrown an actual fit because he didn't think he'd be a good father, fear had wrapped its fingers around his neck, telling him that he'd be just like own father, he also rememebered how Hermione had kissed him then and there, telling him that he was not his father, he was different and that he would be a wonderful father to his child, their child. He remembered when Hermione went into labour, when she had screamed into oblivion and told him to just hold her hand while she birthed their baby, he remembered how she left an imprint on his hand with her fingernails due to how tight she had held it. He remembered hearing the soft cries of a baby and holding him in his arms, actually crying helplessly at how beautiful he looked, how pure and innocent- he had wrapped his arm around his panting wife and told the midwife to take a picture on that stupid Muggle camera Hermione had always kept.

He remembered when Rose was born, that sweet little girl had been a bundle of joy the moment he had held her. She was the first girl to be born into the Malfoy family after such a long time, almost as if she was the cure to a lifelong curse brought upon the family. He remembered throwing an actual fit when he had been told about a girl being born, his daughter. It as almost as if he couldn't bring himself to believe it. He remembered the time he spent with his children, his wife- his family, how utterly beautiful and incomparable it was to anything else in the world.

It had been so beautiful while it had lasted, what had happened? What went wrong? Why was this happening to him? To _them_?

"Okay," He sighed, "I'll send you the divorce papers soon, Hermione." Draco resisted the urge to yell at her, at himself, he wanted to scream at her and tell her that this wasn't them, they were better than this, that they both could work this out.

Scorpius let out an audible gasp, which he prayed that his parents didn't hear. The boy pressed his palm to his mouth to conceal anymore voice that could possibly come. Lucky for him no one heard him.

He wasn't stupid, he knew what a divorce meant, of course, he was a smart kid.

He had heard it being talked about but he never imagined his parents getting one.

"Thank you." His mother's voice brought him to reality.

Hermione looked equally uncomfortable with the conversation, it was as evident as daylight. She kept on twirling her soft toffee curls between her fingers. It only reminded Draco how he'd always play with those soft curls of her's when she had her head on his chest, bright and early in the morning as they enjoyed their little alone time before Scorpius and Rose decided to jump on their bed, demanding them to put them in between the two adults.

Draco shook his head quickly, shaking off all the memories of the past. He looked into her eyes, the woman he had fallen in love with, the woman he'd always love, through thick and thin, till the angel of death took him. He bent forward in almost hesitation, capturing her lips with his, softly covering her lips with his own. Draco didn't move for a second or two, maybe it was even more but he couldn't tell, before she could respond in any way, he had already pulled away, instantly missing the warm coarse of her mouth on his.

And then, he was moving away from her, a sad and gloomy look in his silver-gray eyes.

"You're still my wife until I sign the bloody papers, _Missus Malfoy."_ he purposely said, catching a ghost of smile dancing on her lips.

"Only a matter of time, _Mister Malfoy," _Hermione drawled with equal charm, folding her arms over her chest as she watched Draco depart from the room.

"We'll see, _Missus Malfoy,_ we'll see." and with a small wink in her direction that didn't quite reach his eyes, he left, leaving behind Hermione touching too fingers to her lips, wondering if this was a big mistake or not.

Tears stung the little boy's heart before he quickly stood up and went back to the dinning room, everything was arranged- the cake, the gifts, the decorations but now, it held no meaning to the little boy, it seemed forced.

His parents came out of the room the moment he picked up the knife with a red ribbon tied to it. Rose absent-mindedly watched her older brother, a frown on her face. Draco came over to her and picked her up in his arms, pressing a kiss to the girl's cheek. "Is something wrong, love?"

Rose shook her head quickly. She continued to watch her brother with a confused expression. "If you say so, princess." He pressed another kiss to her chocolate hair which resembled much like her mother's.

Hermione had a sad look in her face but it wore off when her eyes set on Scorpius, she immediately shifted her gaze from Draco. She smiled at him, softly, just like any mother would.

"Why don't you cut the cake now, baby?" It was Hermione who spoke, clapping her hands ever so slightly to encourage him. When Scorpius didn't say anything, Draco decided to intervene; he put his hand on his son's shoulder whilst holding Rose in his other hand.

The visible tension between them heightened with every passing minute, Scorpius noted.

They'd look at each other and then turn away simultaneously.

"Yeah," Draco sucked in a breath, "Make a wish buddy. You only turn nine once." He smiled down at him. Scorpius thought profoundly about what his father had said, a brilliant idea popping in his mind.

"Go on now, sweetie." Hermione smiled at him and that was about enough for the young lad to close his eyes and blow the nine candles on the frosty cake.

All noise of the cheering toned down as Scorpius muttered his wish in his heart.

_I wish my parents can spend the Christmas together, we all can, as a family, God don't let them separate._

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**HELLO!**

**Look at me, can't finish two fics to save her life but is back with a new one! I originally planned this to be a one shot but I have a lot to write and a lot for you to feel. This stretched so long that I decided to make 3 or 5 chapters (maybe even less) so please, vote if you like it and leave an honest review! I'd love you forever! Signing off, love you all.**


	2. ii sheer heart attack

Scorpius had been worrying the whole day about his parents, from the moment he had heard about his parents getting a divorce, he had put up a good show of being his calm and collected self; the child everyone praised and was proud of for the whole day until finally crying himself to sleep when he had collapsed on his bed. Sleep had never graced him that night. He hadn't manged to get even a single minute of some shut eye time. So he had walked down the hallway to his sister's room, hoping to sleep in her soft beanbag chair, an attempt to ease his chaotic mind.

But when he had opened the door, he couldn't move his figure ahead. Still glued to the spot, he had seen his mother striking Rose's long hair and smiling down at her sleeping form. She had her arms wrapped around his sister, in what seemed to be an attempt to get some sleep for herself.

Scorpius had carefully and silently closed the door before his mother could notice and bombard him with questions. However, he didn't go back to his own room, it was too depressing, too saddening.

"_Nearly half the week we sleep with Scorpius and Rose to avoid each other- this can't go on any longer and you know that."_

He recalled his mother's words from earlier when she had a row with his father.

So it had been true all along, he spoke to himself, walking down to another spacious room. The little boy continued to rub his eyes as he opened the door to another room. However, when his hand was on the doorknob, he stopped. Suddenly, manners had kicked in and he knocked. No matter how sleepy and tiresome he was, Scorpius awalys knew the first rule his father had taught him when he had started talking.

_Manners maketh man. _

He could vividly remember the time when he uttered his first word; unlike many of the children who started talking at an early age, Scorpius wasn't so blessed in that area. It had taken him more time than an average child to speak. At one point, his mother had started to worry that maybe he just couldn't speak. It was only then that his father had cooed his mother with such gentleness, it made him feel easy, that this wasn't his fault. His father had looked at his mother and then down at his pale blond head before smiling and saying the words he still remembered till this day. It was as if he would always remember it, no matter where he was and how long it had been.

"_Nothing about our boy is average, Hermione, a flower blooms when it is its time to."_

With a heavy heart, he raised his fist knock on the door again but the click of the doorknob had stopped him dead in his tracks. He peered up from his golden eyelashes to look at the man he admired most in his life, like any child would. The perfect role model and the first companion a child could ask for— his father was looking at him with a mixture of relief as well as confusion. Scorpius noted that he was still in his navy suit which he wore couple of hours back at his oh so shitty birthday celebration. His necktie was gone and his infamous white-blond hair was disheveled. If he didn't know his father well, he could've also straight up assumed that he had been crying tucked away in the solace of his parents' bedroom.

Neither of them said anything, only continued to look at each other. Something about the way his son looked at him, with his trembling bottom lip and unblinking eyes, told Draco that he had heard him arguing with his mother a few hours back. He wasn't sure but it could've been true. Why else would he come here in the middle of the night knocking on his parents' door unless something was bothering him? Considering the recent events, it could be clearly distinguished by Draco that the only negative thing he had stirred in the last few hours was the heated argument about divorce with his mother.

"Hey buddy, can't sleep?" he crouched down, undid another button on his shirt— it felt too claustrophobic, or was it just him?

In response, the little boy only nodded. He had been taught to utter a response, had it even been as simple as a dull yes but Draco let it slide, it was late, manners could wait, the storm in his son's eyes couldn't.

Draco grasped his son's comparatively smaller hand than his, leading him inside the enormous room, a room as big as this and Hermione had still managed to find another room to seek the luxury of sleep in, he prodded. The little boy didn't say anything. Even though he had been boasting about how "_grown up"_ he had become to his sister only hours ago, funny how he just wanted to remain the little boy he was now, it was weird to think that only one news had completely managed to reverse his happy day, at least what was supposed to be a happy day.

Draco took off his jacket and kicked off his shoes. He sat on the bed with his head hung low and hands knotted before him. Scorpius merely looked at his father. He wanted to say something, anything at all but words failed him. He couldn't even open his mouth. How did a child even approach the resented topic of his parents' divorce? Did he stabilize himself or his father or mother? Was he going to be asked to choose which side he wanted to stay with after his parents split up or would he be forced to just go with one, even when he didn't choose them? He loved his mother equally as he did his father, he could never fathom choosing sides, no, never. Would he be separated from his sister, too? Would she live with him or be sent to live with the other parent? What would happen on holidays? Would they still spend Christmas, Thanksgiving and other holidays together or would he never see the people he loved under the same roof again? All kinds of questions kept burning in his head, burning and burning upto the point where he couldn't take it anymore. It was only then, that Scorpius Malfoy burst out crying, following hiccups until Draco was practically lunging forward to wrap his lean arms around the boy, he didn't say anything, his heart was already heavy with the giref of today, the events that had followed, much to his dismay. He only treaded his fingers through his hair much similar to his own, cooing the lad until he finally gave in and tightened a choking hold on Draco's shoulders. He could feel the fabric of his shirt getting damper and damper by tye passing minute, only adding upto the thought in his mind of how much of a shitty father he was.

"Hush Scrop, it's okay, you're okay." even his own voice broke as he spoke those words, tears welled up in his eyes because he knew, now, that his nine year old had heard everything from the other side of the door in the evening just today, he had heard all the screaming, the banter, the divorce— he had heard everything and yet, he had managed to out on a facade for the rest of the day and not let anyone feel like anything was off. How strong he was, even for a nine year old. Draco couldn't fathom his nine year old fragile self keeping the burden of a news as big as this on his young shoulders. Scorpius really was something else.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, Scorp, I'm so sorry you had to go through this." Draco's shoulders shook violently as he grasped his son tighter in his embrace. In response, if it was even possible, Scorpius tightened his already firm grip on his father, it was actually heartbreaking. Draco hadn't mean to break down, not in front of his son, at least but sometimes, crying helps, crying in front of your family and friends helped, it was all that made us human, after all. "I'm so sorry, I'm a horrible father, Scorp. I couldn't give you and your sister the life I had imagined for you both, for your mother, too." he sighed in his shoulder, it was momentarily painful before it was a permanent scar etched on their hearts.

"No dad, you're the best father anyone could ever ask for." Scorpius sniffed, he pulled away a little from Draco's body, his hands still on his shoulders. "Don't say that. Rosie and I are very proud to call you our dad." he gave him a weak smile and Draco kissed his forehead. He padded his way over to the large king sized bed and tucked him right in the middle of it, draping soft emerald sheets over his body and then climbing next to him. He laid there with him, shushing the crying boy, lulling him into sleep.

His own parents would've had a heart attack (or several) had they seen Draco with an arm draped over his son as he gently caressed his hair so he'd go to sleep. Just knowing that his parents would have been that shocked, reminded Draco that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the worst parent in the world. There was still someone even worse than him and quite frankly, that bar had been set too high. Draco doubted that whatever he did, he'd never reach it.

"Dad?" so he wasn't sleeping. Why would he, thought Draco, after all the poor lad had been put through today.

"Yeah?" sleep surely wouldn't come for him today, and he had already accepted that fact.

"Can you promise me something?" Scorpius shifted in the bed so he was angled toward his father rather than on his back. He looked up at Draco with hopeful eyes, Draco knew that if he asked for the stars in that one moment, it would've been impossible for him to tell him no. "Can you?" Draco realised he had been caught up in the minute again. Sighing, he nodded. At that, Scorpius sat up starlight in sitting position, he crossed his ankles and fiddled with his fingers. Draco could clearly tell he was nervous, he would not even meet his eyes.

So he had planned out a task even more difficult than getting the stars from the starry sky.

"Whenever you're ready Scorp," he attempted to lighten the mood a little with a hearty chuckle, it did, however, had little to no impact on Scorpius who looked ready to burst any moment now. His cheeks had turned red and he was fiddling a lot more than normal with his fingers.

"First I want you to promise me that you won't say no and that- that you will accept it." he rushed in a voice that made Draco tell him to repeat himself, clearly not catching it the first time.

"Okay, I promise, now what is it? You should be asleep by now, you're mother would have my head on a stick of she knew I was letting you stay up this late." the ease he spoke with didn't catch up to him until he cleared his throat and looked at the boy before him.

Scorpius smiled a crooked grin in his direction, "I want you to promise me that you will try your best not to leave mum. And that—"

"Scorpius-"

"You will try your absolute best to not hurt her in the process, too-" he didn't stop.

"Scorpius-" Draco interrupted but he still wasn't listening.

"And that Rosie will not go away from us as well as mum and tha-"

"SCORPIUS!" He shouted, only to smack himself as he saw his recoiling figure. "I- I'm sorry about that but," he sighed, rubbed his aching temples. Boy, had it been a long day. "I think you heard your mother that she doesn't want that. She told me to clearly not do what you're asking of me, I'm sorry but it tr-"

"No dad, don't you see that she doesn't actually mean it, she loves you, she loves me and Rosie, no dad, you can't possibly believe her!" he threw his hands up, Draco must admit, for a freshly turned nine year old, it was quite impressive to present such arguments. Well, he had expected his firstborn to turn out this way, in fact, everyone had, just thinking of the children Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger would've produced.

"Just promise you will try." he pleaded. Draco had wished he had asked him for something less complicated, like maybe a new bicycle or the latest broom straight from Quality Quidditch Supplies or a first edition book that hadn't hit the market yet. But of course, this was Scorpius, everything about him was anything but ordinary.

"Well, do you?" he asked again, at the edge of his side, hopefull as ever.

Draco sighed, curse his ability to talk him into things. That was okay only when he used to do it.

"Yes, I promise."

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**Guess who decided to update? Me, I'm alive, hey. Hope you liked this, leave a comment and vote if you did!**

**All the love, me.**


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